Piston water-meter



(No Mdel.) vv F. E. GILFORD.

8187017` WATBR'MMER.'

10.877,874, Patented Peb. 7,1888. l

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.UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK E. eILFoED, oF LAKE VILLAGE, NEW HAMPSHIRE. e

PilsToN WATER-METER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 377,674, dated February 7, 1888.

Application filed June 6, 1887. Serial No. 240,440. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I,- FREDERICK E. GILFOED, a citizen of theUnited States, residing inLake Village, in the county of Belknap and State of New Hampshire, have invented an Improved Water-Meter; and I do hereby declare that the following is a' full and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompany- Ing drawings, making part of this specification.

My invention consists in theimproved mechanism for instantaneously'throwing the valve of a reciprocating-piston water-meter, ashereinafter set forth. l

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l represents a side view of the valve-operating mechanism and a longitudinal and central vertical section of the cylinder and valve-chamber; Fig. 2, an end view of the valve-operating mechanism.

In the drawings, A represents the cylinder of the water-meter;l .B, the reciprocating pis-v ton; C, the piston-rod; D, the valve, and E the valve-rod of the meter. All of these parts may be of ordinary' construction, and need no description nor setting forth of their operation.

The purpose of my invention is to produce a mechanism for shifting the valve of the meter instantaneously when the piston arrives at the end of its stroke in either direction of its reciprocating movement, which shall be entirely independent in its action'ot' any movement of the piston itself when once set in motion, which shall require the least possible eX- penditure of pressure on the part of the water 'passing through the meter to start thev valveshifting mechanism, and which shall be simple,

cheap, durable, and reliable, and little liable to get outof repair.

Upon the piston-rod C, sufficiently extendedl in length for the purpose of this mechanism, are secured, by means of an adjustable collar, a, or equivalent means, two coiled springs, Fv G, which consequently shift forward and backward with the said pistonrod.- These springs are employed for vibrating two levers, H I, arranged substantially as represented, for reciprocating in turn the valverodE andthe valve D attached thereto. Each lever is pivoted on a pivot, b, and embraces, or is other- -released from their catches.

are constructed, arranged, and made to oper-V wise connected with, the valve-rod at oneend. The levers respectively bear against adjustable blocks or collars c c on the valve-rod, one in one direction and the other in the other direction. The springs FG press, respectively, against the ends of the vibrating levers opposite to the ends connected to the valve-rod, the arrangement being such that as the pistonrod is moved` forward or outward its -outer spring, F, strikes and presses against the outer lever, H, and throws the valve-rod and valve backward or inward, and when the piston-rod is moving backward or inward its spring G strikes and presses against the lever I and moves the valve-rod and valve forward and' outward, these resultant movements being such as are required for the operation of the meter. In order that these springs may move the valve-rod and valve instantaneously, the levers H I are held by catches when the springs Aiirst bear against them at each reciprocation of thev piston until the springs become sufficiently compressed to move the valve-rod by their own force alone as soon as the levers are These catches ate substantially as follows: The two catches ,d d are formed, respectively, on the opposite ends of a catch-lever, J, arranged near the piston-rod and substantially parallel therewith, and pivoted at the middle on a pivot, f. The ends of the-lever are elastic, so that the catches spring against the levers H I and hold them when brought over the said catches, all as clearly shown in the drawings. v'Io release the levers alternately from their catches, first one end of the catch-lever is depressed o r moved away from its vibratory lever and then the other. To do this automatically, a double cam, K, is secured to the piston-rod by means of the adjustable collar a or otherwise. The arrangement is such that when the moving spring at either end of the piston-rod bears against either valve-shifting lever with the requisite force for the purpose the cam releases the catch from that lever and allows the spring to vibrate the lever and shift the Valve. In Fig. 1 the inner lever, I, is represented as just having been released from' its catch and vibrated by its spring. This movement of one lever in throwing the valve-rod VIICJO reverses the position of the other lever and causes it to engage with its catch on the catchlever, as shown. Thus by very simple means the whole operation of shifting the valve is 5 performed. There may be a separate catchlever for each vibrating lever.

The mechanism may actuate the registering movement in any suitable and desirable way. In the drawings I represent a ratchet-wheel,

1o L, on the primary shaft h of the registering apparatus,and a pawl, M, taking into the teeth of the said ratchet-wheel, the said pawl being pivoted to a reciprocating,` bar, N, which is moved by a cam, O, on the pistonrod and 15 retracted by a counterspring, i.

FREDERICK E. GILFORD.

XlVitnesses:

WILLIAM H. FLANDERs, G. A. SPRAGUE. 

